Pump sources for high energy lasers must be driven with high electrical energy and therefore become very hot during operation. It is customary to cool the pump sources with water since the heat negatively influences the laser arrangement. The laser rod is often included in the cooling loop.
The service life of the pump sources is limited, and they must be exchanged frequently. For this reason, plug connectors are preferred for the electrical supply lines because they are easily manipulated. In conventional cooling of the pump sources, these plug connectors become very hot which leads to poor contacts and can therefore lead to disruptions in the electrical current supply of the pump sources.
European patent publication No. EP-A1-0 093 079 discloses a single-pole, water-cooled, electric plug connection for electrical arc furnaces wherein the supply and discharge of the cooling water take place through the movable component of the plug connector together with the electrical supply line. The cooling water also flows through the stationary component of the plug connector and therefore cools also the connector locations of the electrical supply line to the electrical arc furnace.
The complex configuration of this known cooled electric connector is a disadvantage. Furthermore, the voltage conducting parts are only partially insulated. Since the pump sources must be exchanged relatively often in lasers, the known plug connector is also unsuitable because of the complicated manipulation associated therewith.
Because of the foregoing, only that component of the plug connector is cooled wherein the pump source is seated in the case of laser arrangements and for other apparatus, where the electrical consumer is seated.